Sign Up and Save

If there are enough signatures, the City Council would vote on the issue at its Aug. 7 and Aug. 14 meetings.

Zack Maxwell, who coordinated the effort in Arlington to gather signatures for a petition to get a term limits measure on the November ballot, holds some of the sheets of paper he and his group will submit to the city secretary at the top of the hour. pic.twitter.com/56nvUFFBU6

If approved by voters, City Council members and the mayor would be limited to three two-year terms. The most anyone could serve would be 12 years as both a council member and mayor.

The effort has been led by Zack Maxwell, publisher of the Arlington Voice, who has been critical of the City Council in Facebook posts. He has said "the campaign is not about attacking any one council member."

Mayor Jeff Williams has said term limits could hurt economic development since businesses prefer stability when dealing with cities.

North Texas is losing its reputation as a place where housing is cheap, with home prices increasing more than 30 percent just in the past three years. As a result, many residents are finding that their annual property tax bills are shockingly higher.